Most Americans Think Obama's First 100 Days Were Successful

It's finally here. Barack Obama's 100th day as president.

And for a White House that has criticized as artificial and arbitrary the notion of assessing a president's first 100 days, Obama's team is going to extraordinary lengths to shape perceptions. There have been many media interviews with administration officials in recent days, the release of photos of the first family behind the scenes at the White House, constant promotion by the Democratic National Committee, and no shortage of assessments by Obama himself. Those will culminate today with a town hall meeting in suburban St. Louis to discuss his first 100 days and a presidential news conference at the White House tonight at 8.

The administration got an unexpected boost yesterday when Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switched parties, giving the Democrats 59 votes in the Senate. If Al Franken wins in Minnesota as expected (legal challenges have delayed an outcome), the Democrats will have a filibuster-proof majority of 60. This would boost Obama's agenda, and the president and Vice President Joe Biden appeared with Specter at the White House this morning to welcome him to the Democratic team. 

Overall, White House officials say they were forced to get into the 100-day narrative because the media have been emphasizing it so much. Virtually every news organization has done extensive 100-day wrap-ups, analyses, features, and photo spreads.

The White House's pitch is that Obama has had the most productive 100 days since Franklin Roosevelt invented the New Deal in 1933.

Among Obama's successes, White House officials say, were his winning congressional passage of a $787 billion economic stimulus plan and aggressive action by his administration to bail out the collapsing financial industry. Republicans say Obama has been spending too much, running up a projected deficit of more than $1 trillion, and endangering the prosperity of future generations, which will have to pay the bills. The Republicans also say Obama's much-ballyhooed actions have had little or no immediate benefit for the economy. But Obama aides argue that the massive spending was needed to avoid a depression and that the Obama plans will take a while to turn the economy around.

So far, the public seems to be on Obama's side. The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, released last night, finds that 61 percent of Americans approve of the job Obama is doing as president, somewhat better than the ratings for George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at the same point in their presidencies. Six in 10 say he has accomplished a great deal or a fair amount. And Obama remains very popular as an individual, with 8 of 10 people saying they like him personally.

But there are danger signs. Some of his policies are losing support, including his economic stimulus plan, and 52 percent say he is trying to take on too many issues besides the economy. 

• Read Obama's 12 Most Important Decisions.
• Read After 100 Days, Grading Obama's Stimulus Gamble.
• See who's in Obama's inner circle.